Langford Fire Rescue has a new pumper truck in their lineup and this latest addition to their fleet is all about safety.

Fire Chief Bob Beckett said the new truck features some special upgrades and extra features, B次元官网网址渓ike airbags, which are not standard in fire trucks.B次元官网网址�

In the U.S., vehicle crashes accounted for 12 per cent of firefighter deaths last year. While provincial legislation, such as the move over law, is geared at reducing those statistics in Canada, being injured or even killed in crash while responding to or returning from a call is always a concern for firefighters noted Beckett. He added B次元官网网址渃ouncil continually has allowed us to get the very best technology and some great safety features.B次元官网网址�

Coun. Lillian Szpak, chair of LangfordB次元官网网址檚 protective services committee, said B次元官网网址渟afety is priority number one for our firefighters.B次元官网网址�

She pointed to the truck that will soon be decommissioned, noting the open cabin design that exposes firefighters to all of the elements.

Firefighter Brian Bell, who played a key role in communicating with the manufacturer and customizing the vehicle to meet the departmentB次元官网网址檚 needs, noted the exposed cabin also makes communicating inside the truck harder.

Besides airbags and a closed-cabin design, the new engine features the latest technology for mobile data terminals.

Bell explained this technology a little further. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got dual screens in the front,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪afety wise it allows the driver to just drive,B次元官网网址� and whomever is in the right seat can operate the controls.

The truck is also 100 per cent lit by LEDs, which negates the need for a generator to power external lights. That feature alone saved the department roughly $20,000. B次元官网网址淭hat is a big change for us,B次元官网网址� Bell noted. B次元官网网址淭he alternator on the truck can run all of the systems.B次元官网网址�

From an operational standpoint, Beckett noted, the engine will be uniformly fitted with equipment and settings to match others in the departmentB次元官网网址檚 fleet.

B次元官网网址淓verything is in the same place,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that saves precious time and is one less thing for firefighters to think about.

That way, added Bell, B次元官网网址渋t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter what truck you arrive on.B次元官网网址�

Since the engine also needs to look the same as others in the fleet, a lot of preplanning was done for the customization work, and Bell hopes to have the truck in service by the end of the month.

Bell was part of the team that went down to South Dakota to pick up the engine at the end of September.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting, you go to the factory and do the inspection on it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a good feeling B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 looking forward to getting it on the road.B次元官网网址�

Another new feature on this engine is that every valve on the exterior panel is electronic, as opposed to the old push-pull valves. B次元官网网址淚t can be really hard to pull those valves,B次元官网网址� Bell noted but the new system is all done by the push of a button.

B次元官网网址淵ou can do it all from here B次元官网网址� Everything is available to them from the panel.B次元官网网址� Firefighters donB次元官网网址檛 just have control of water flow from that panel, all of the external lighting can also be operated from there, where in older models firefighters would have to jump back into the truck to fire up the generator.

Beckett added, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 all safety related.B次元官网网址�

The engine can also pump 1,250 gallons of water per minute.

The arrival of the new truck means two vehicles are leaving Station 1 on Peatt Road. Engine 1 will be moved from there to Station 3 on Sooke Lake Road, while a 1990-built truck that is no longer insurable will be decommissioned. A 2004 engine will come from Station 3 to Station 1 as a replacement.

B次元官网网址淲e enhance the longevity of the vehicles,B次元官网网址� explains Beckett of the complex juggling act. By moving vehicles with more hours to stations where they will see less use or wear and tear helps the department get the full 20-year life expectancy out of them.

Szpak added, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 a really good efficient use of our equipment.B次元官网网址� And when a machine costs roughly $650,000 they want to make sure they last as long as possible and they get the maximum use out of their investment, she said.

As for what will happen to the 1990 truck, that has yet to be decided. That decision will be left to council, and Szpak said in the past they have donated equipment to other departments in need, with engines going to Belize, Mexico and Thetis Island. B次元官网网址淚t does reflect the values of our community.B次元官网网址�

katie@goldstreamgazette.com